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Lefty becomes Righty
http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5457		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:26 am ]
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Well several months ago I bought my self a very zootful set of qlt'd sapele just for my self. Well as things go I has a left handed player plunk down deposit and order a SJ. He went through my limited stash and guess which set he picked. He just had to have it. I said what the heck and agreed.

As the story goes I got the top and back plates joined rim built and profiled for a lefty cutaway and was about to start attaching lining when I get this phone call telling me that he needs to cancel his order and need as much of his deposit back as possible because of a family problem that I wont go into.

Anyway I now have a lefty cutaway rim. Hummmm what to do with it> Well to make a long story short I cut the mortise all the way through the neck block so I could turn the neck around and make it a righty.

Next was what to do about the profile since I had profiled the back edge. I set and pondered about this for about an hour last night and decided to cut off the profile so that both sides are parallel again. This will leave me with a 3-1/8" wide rim. I have scribed the line but have not cut it yet.

So it looks like I will be building my first Thin-Line SJ . I would leave the rim hanging around left handed till I get a lefty order but this would have been the only lefty in 5 years of building for sale and I hate not completing a guitar once I get started.

Ok now I have a question. Do I need to change the size of the sound hole to accommodate the reduced air volume?
Allen? Where are you? I need your wisdom? MichaelP38781.5520949074
Author:  Dave White [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:09 am ]
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Michael,

I ended up having to build a slimline model via an "accident of fate" as well:
Slim Jim

This was at it's deepest at 3 7/8" at the waist and 3 5/8" deep at the tail and heel blocks. I left the soundhole at the same 4 1/8" diameter as it would have been had the tail depth been 4 7/8" as planned. I just loved the sound of that guitar. So I would be tempted to do your sound hole as normal.

Al will probably give you better advice on the soundhole size tradeoff though.Dave White38781.5902083333
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:36 am ]
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Dave I am ending up 3.378 at the lower and 3.25 upper after top and back. pretty thin Oh well Jut got through cutting it down, about to start leveling my cut and re profile the new back edge of the rim. ther will not be my typical slope to the back but will stay with 15' radius dome, just a flatter plane than normal. I am thionking of setting my lining about 3/32 high and have it define the top plane. but maybe not as I see possible problemsMichaelP38781.6129513889
Author:  RussellR [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:35 am ]
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You could always send it to me Michael, I'm a Lefty
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 8:19 am ]
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Too late ...done cut it
Author:  Dave White [ Sun Mar 05, 2006 8:29 am ]
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Michael,

Yes but the top and back will give you some extra height - maybe up to 1/4". Your idea of leaving the kerfed lining proud will also help - my binding ledges end up cut back to the kerfed linings anyway. This could get you another 1/2" or so in total with careful binding routing. So there's another 3/4" height potentially.

Unless the heights you are quoting including allowance for this already
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:15 am ]
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Rim is now 3.125" at the LB and 2.875" at the UB Looks like 3 3/8" total at LB and 3 1/8" at UB will be the finished dimensions I don't want to raise the lining too high and that would mean I would have to add splice plates to the blocks to match the lining height anyway, So I will live with it thin. Who knows I may be suprised with the sound. Just a bit worried about its volume though.
Author:  Dave White [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:29 am ]
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Michael,

Tim McKnight ended up making a dread that ws 3" at the tail and 2" at the neck via "serendipity" and as I recall he was very surprised and pleased at the sound that resulted. Maybe you can pm him for advice on soundhole size.
Author:  CarltonM [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:52 am ]
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[QUOTE=MichaelP] Who knows I may be suprised with the sound. Just a bit worried about its volume though.[/QUOTE]
Michael, I just know there's a performer out there who would LOVE to have a hand-built, solid-wood, thin-bodied, amplified stage guitar of the quality you produce! It'll look good, play right, and be easy to hold for four sets a night. Might even lead to commissions.
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:16 am ]
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This baby is mine one way or another I have sold or lent out four of my six personal guitars over the last 3 months. One went to a friend that lost his home and instruments in a fire two were lent to a local performer on his way to England for a tour with a Christian rock ensemble and one sold to a client that decided he could not wait four months. All I have in my possession right now is my IRW/ Koa top OM and the Ovation I burned up earlier this year. Oh tht does not include my 69 LP custom. But that baby nobody gets
Author:  CarltonM [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:28 am ]
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[QUOTE=MichaelP] This baby is mine one way or another I have sold or lent out four of my six personal guitars over the last 3 months. All I have in my possession right now is my IRW/ Koa top OM and the Ovation I burned up earlier this year. Oh tht does not include my 69 LP custom. But that baby nobody gets [/QUOTE]
Yeah, but if you find it to be disappointing compared to your full-depth instruments, I bet there's someone who will find it to be just right for performing. Could be "lemonade out of lemons." Besides, there's always the Ovation, right (or the OM!)?

A big tip-of-the-hat, BTW, for the way you've been helping others in need. You must see a lot of smiling faces when your guitars are involved!
Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:33 am ]
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The Ovation is my monument to Mr. Murphy One day it will get a new top till then it collects dust.
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